Electronic devices called eReaders are becoming pretty common. They are, essentially, low power tablet computers designed specifically for the purpose of reading. Most of them have a display using technology called ePaper that differs significantly from LCD technology. ePaper is extremely easy on the eyes, making it like reading pages of a book. Another advantage is the device doesn’t have to use power to leave the image on the display so they become very very low power devices, capable of lasting days to weeks.
I had been considering jumping into the whole eBook thing for a while, and even began doing some reading of eBooks on my netbook. Even with the display brightness turned down, I could not find a comfortable viewing experience with the display, and the netbook itself did not lend to being a good reading device. I wanted to hold off buying a dedicated eReader because I was hoping to either get one at a really low price or maybe spend more on the newer color ePaper devices that were coming much later. When I found a device that was less than $200, I jumped on it.
Enter: Kobo.
The netbook I recently purchased has opened me up to some new needs to make it fit the role I needed it to fill. One of the devices I needed, since it was not included, was bluetooth. I would normally order my parts and devices from Newegg, but I opted to check out Frys instead. My requirements for a bluetooth device were simple: A2DP capable and low profile. I found a few devices that fit this role, and opted for the cheap one, a Zoom 4322. I have to say, you get what you pay for.
I recently bought a netbook, as indicated by a previous post. The netbook I chose, based on aesthetics, performance, and other criteria was the Acer Aspire One model 532h. The transition to a low power computer has been smoother than I expected, and so far, I’m finding a netbook more useful than I anticipated. So here, I will review the netbook I got. Keep in mind this is my first one.
Meebo IM is an instant messaging application for multiple platforms, including Android. It allows using multiple IM services, including the major ones such as Live, GTalk, AIM, and others. It is a reasonably light weight application that has a service running in the background to maintain your connections so that you can receive IMs at any time.
I just upgraded my phone. I had been waiting for Verizon to release an Android device as I did not want to change to T-Mobile just to have one. It finally came time and Verizon released two devices at the same time, the Motorola Droid, and the HTC Droid Eris. I was at the 1.5 year mark in my contract so I couldn’t use my New Every Two plan feature to upgrade, which gives a $100 credit towards a new device. With the rebates and New Every Two, the Motorola Droid would have cost $99 and the HTC Droid Eris would have been free. However, I believe the rebates are not staying around so by the time my “free” upgrade would have come, the price may still have been the same as I paid now. So, I went ahead and upgraded and went for the Droid Eris.
